Package binding tool



Dec. 23, 1941. J. H. LESLIE, 2D

PACKAGE BINDING TOOL Sheets-Sheet 1 uw, RN NN QM QE Si ya@ f y j Dec. 23, 1941. J. H. LESLIE, 2D

PACKAGE BINDING Tool.v

Filed Feb. 10, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 23, 1941. J, H. LESLIE, 2D 2,267,612

PACKAGE-BINDING TOOL Filed Feb. 1G, 1959 5 SheeS-Sheet 3 Ita9 Dec. 23, 1941. J. H. LESLIE, 2D

PACKAGE BINDING TOOL 5 sheds-sheet 4 Filed Feb. 10. 1939 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 PACKAGE BINDING TOOL John H. Leslie, II, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to Signode Steel strapping Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application February 10, 1939, Serial No. 255,655

7 Claims.

My invention relates to package binding tools.

More particularly it relates to a tool whereby (1) flexible metallic straps looped about packages or groups of packages may be tensioned tightly to embrace and bind the package or group, (2) seals or sleeves are Yfed one at a time from a magazine and applied to the overlapping ends of the package or group encircling tensioned loop, and (3) the seal and overlapping strap ends are deformed to produce a `ioint that rmly holds the strap ends together to `render the binding loop permanent.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a tool whereby the three operations mentioned above may be accomplished by the manipulation of a single operators handle.

A further object is to provide a tool wherein seals are fed from the magazine during a normal cycle of operation of the handle that effects the tensioning of the binder and production of the joint.

Another object is to provide a tool that is effective, reliable and simple and easy to operate.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear. if

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tool, showing the normal condition in full lines and indicating the sealing position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a top plan partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 of the sealing and seal-feeding mechanism, the base of the tool and binder tensioning mechanism being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a partial section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing the front of the seal magazine advanced to seal ejecting position and the seal ejector in position to initiate the ejectment of a seal;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of a portion of the seal retaining gate;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the seal engaging finger of the seal ejecting mechanism, and

Fig. 10 is a side elevational and diagrammatic view of the tool, showing the seal ejecting mechanism in various phases of its operation.

Inasmuch as, for purposes of explanation, I have chosen to show my improvement incorporated in a combined binder-tensioning and sealing tool such as set forth in A. T. Bergstrom scribe but briefly the construction and operation of this part of the mechanism; the details thereof can be learned from the Bergstrom patent.

Briefly, then, the tool has a main frame A, which is adapted to rest upon the package being bound `and carries the binder-tensioning mechanism B; an auxiliary or oscillating frame C, which is pivoted to the main frame and carries a sealing mechanism D and a seal-magazine E; and an 0perating handle F, which may be oscillated through a relatively small arc to actuate the tensioning mechanism, then swung to another position to move the sealing mechanism to the overlapping strap ends, next forced still further to deform the overlapping strap ends and seal into a joint, and nally returned to effect the feeding of a new seal and to restore the tool to normal condition. i

The auxiliary frame C is pivoted to the main frame A by a shaft I5 and, as will clearly appear from the Bergstrom patent, is provided with an actuating pawl I6 (see Fig. 3) which in one direction of movement of the auxiliary framee. g. counter-clockwise as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3-engages the ratchet teeth Il of a binder-strap gripping and feeding wheel I8 to rotate the same and thereby effect a movement of the upper strap end of a binder loop relative to the lower strap end which is held stationary on a foot I9 of the main frame. A holding pawl 20 pivoted to the main frame and engaging ratchet wheel I'I prevents reverse rotation of the feed wheel during clockwise rotational movements of the auxiliary frame.

The feed and ratchet wheels are secured to eccentric shaft I5 which may be oscillated through a limited arc by a grip handle ZI and by its eccentricity veffect movements of the feed wheel toward and away from foot I9, depending upon the direction of movement of the grip handle. Movement in a direction, to cause the feed Wheel to recede from the underlying stationary foot, provides a gap between the feed Wheel and foot into which the overlapping strap ends of a binder-strap loop may be inserted laterally. Movement of grip handle 2I in the reverse direction causes the feed wheel to approach the underlying foot to clamp the overlapping strap ends therebetween. Then, upon rotation of the feed wheel by oscillating the handle F, the upper strap end is fed over the under stationary strap end to, in effect, shrink the loop and tighten the binder upon and about a package or group of packages.

The sealing mechanism D carried by the auxil- Patent No. 1,969,115, it will be necessary to deiary frame C includes an anvil 24 and a pair of jaws 25, which jaws are pivoted scissor fashion to the auxiliary frame by a pivot pin 28 and have their inner ends connected by links all to cross head 28 that is slidable along a guideway 2a on the auxiliary frame. A link 3@ connects handle F to crosshead 28. Handle F is pivoted to the auxiliary frame by a pivot 2i, but may be de= tachably latched against pivotal movement thereabout by a pair of spring pressed clutches or latches 32.

When the latches t2 are engaged, they hold the auxiliary frame C and handle F in alignment, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and movements of the handle eiect like movements in the auxiliary frame. But when the auxiliary fram has reached the limit of its travel in a clockwise direction to bring the sealing mechanism down to the overlapping strap ends, as shown by the dot-dash lines of Fig. l, further effort exerted upon handle F in a clockwise direction causes the disengagement of clutches 32, with the result that handle F pivots upon pivot 3i and, through link 3d, slide 2t and links 2l', causes the inner ends oi jaws to be separated. The outer strap embracing ends of jaws 25 are thus forced toward each other and toward the anvil 2d, with the result that the overlapping strap ends and seal lying therebetween are deformed to produce a separation resisting joint.

In addition to operating the tensioning mechanism (by rotating feed wheel i@ when it is os=l cillated with latches 32 engaged), to swinging the sealing mechanism to joint-forming position relative to the overlapping ends of the tensioned package encircling strap loop, and to actuating the sealing jaws (when latches 32 are disengaged) yto deform the overlapping strap ends and seal into a joint, the actuating handle automatta cally feeds seals-one at a time-from magazine E as they are required.

Magazine E is, in general, a box-lilre struc- 'ture mounted upon auxiliary frame C and including two side walls t3, a bottom 35i, a top 35a, and a rear wall 36 that are relatively stationary. As an entirety, however, the magazine is capable of some longitudinal movement, as will be later explained. The front (i. e., right, as viewed in Figs. i, 2 and 3) end of the magazine is closable by a removable gate 3l which, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 6, is slidably held in parallel guideways 33 formed in a parallel pair of brachets 39 located adjacent the front or ejecting end of the magazine.

By sliding the gate 3l upwardly it may be raised to a level where its lower'edge is beyond the plane of upper side wall 35 and thus the magazine is opened for the insertion of a plurality of superposed or nested seals d. When the gate is lowered, the seals are retained within the magazine, being urged toward the iront (i. e., toward gate 3l) by a spring Si and a follower plate 4 2, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 7.

The seals, which are of relatively thin and easily deformable sheet metal, may be of generale ly channel shape. I prefer, however, to form them with a slightly depressed back plate 65 and outwardly flaring flanges 46, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. Such seals are explained in detail in a patent application entitled Strap joint seal (John H. Leslie, II, Serial No. 255,-

656, led February 10, 1939), executed by me on of the magazine by a sliding ejector 50 which is 7 agentia adapted to slide up and down in guideways 5i provided in brackets te. Ejector 5d has a projecting horn 52 which extends through a slot 53 in gate 3l and the extremity of horn 52 is formed into a separation lug or stripper t. The purpose of this stripper lug 5t is, when the ejector moves down, to enter the small gap or space between the slightly separated baci; plates de of the foremost and immediately rearwardly adjacent seals in the magazine, as shown clearly in Fig. 7, and thereby facilitate the separation of the foremost seals from those therebehind and insure that one seal only is removed from the magazine upon each movement of the ejector.

In order that the forward end of the magazine and seal ejector mechanism may not intertere with the proper placement and operation of the sealing jaws 25 and yet be able to position a seal between the jaws, the magazine, as heretofore mentioned, is bodily slidable to the right (forwardly) and left (rearwardly) as viewed in Figs. i, 2, 3, and lil. In the forward position the back plate d5 of the foremost seal lies slightly in advance of the outer surface of anvil 2, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7, whereas, when the magazine is in its rearward position the ejector mechanism is moved back out of the way of the sealing mechanism as shown most clearly in Fig. 3 and the dot-dash lines of Fig. i.

Thisfmovability of the magazine is accomplished by slidablymounting its bottom te upon the horizontal leg d@ or' a magazine supporting bracket Si that is rigidly atttachecl to the auxiliary frame C by a bolt 62. A spring S3, attached at one end to a lug @d projecting inwardly from the magazine Wall 35 and anchored at the other end to bracket Si, urges the magazine toward its rearward position, i. e., the position shown in Figs. i and 3 and indicated by the full lines oi Fig. l0..

The ejector actuating mechanism comprises a lever l@ pivoted to a side wall of the magazine at ii and having its forward end formed into a hooi: i2. The end lt of hook i2 is bifurcated and straddles a screw lift which passes through one and threads into the other of two ears l5 projecting from ejector 5d. The .forward end of ejector lever lli is biased downwardly to eject seals from the magazine by a spring i5. The forward end of ejector lever ld may be moved upwardly against the tension of spring i6 by what, because it prepares the mechanism for the ejectment of a seal, may be termed a loading cam lll engaging a pin l5 on lever ld. Loading earn il is carried by and rigidly attached to .handlev F.

An ejector arm and magazine control cam d@ is carried by and rigidly attached to the side flange Si of bracket 6i so as to be xed rela= tive to the auxiliary frame. It has two straight cam surfaces w and y which lie parallel to the path of movement of the magazine, an arcuate rear cam surface a' concentric with the axis of pivot it of the ejector arm when the magazine, and consequently also the pivot li, are in the retracted condition shown by the full lines of Fig. 10, and an arcuate forward cam surface z which is concentric with the axis of pivot it when that pivot is in its advanced position shown by the dot-dash line of Fig. 10. This cam d@ cooperates with a pin 8l to hold the ejector arm or lever 'it in cocked position with its outer end elevated until the magazine has been moved forward to the extent that the foremost seal therein is in front of the plane of the sealing mechanism anvil 2d, as has been previously explained. Thereupon the cam 8|) and pin 8| permit the spring 18 to actuate the ejector arm 10 rapidly to depress its outer end and slide a seal from'the magazine to position in front of anvil 24 and between the jaws. The handle F also carries a magazine advancing cam 85, which cooperates with a. lug 88 projecting outwardly from the end of a magazine arm 81 that is rigidly attached to a side Wall of the magazine by set screws 88.

The cooperation of cam 85 and lug 85 serves to push the magazine forward to seal-ejecting position at the proper time, during which forward movement retractle spring 83 is put under tension to return the magazine. In order that the cam 85 may pass by the lug 86 and thereby -i enable the handle F to be swung in a clockwise direction from the normal horizontal position up to a vertical position, the top edge of cam 85 is tapered or chamfered as shown by the dotted lines at 90 in Fig. 5. In swinging handle F to the vertical position, it also is essential that the cam 85 pass by the pin 18 on the rear end of ejector arm 10. To accomplish this result pin 18 is carried on the end of a flat spring 9| and slidably extends through a hole in lever 10. Thus, when the beveled portion 90 of cam 85 strikes pin 18, the pin is depressed against the tension of spring 9| far enough to enable the cam to pass. Normally, however, spring 9| projects pin 18 through arm 10 into position to be engaged by lthe loading cam 11.

If desired, the sliding magazine gate 31 may be held against inadvertent displacement by a latch 95 which is carried by a flat spring 96, I.

riveted to the magazine side wall. Latch 95 passes through a hole in the magazine side wall and is adapted to enter a socket in the gate 31. A knob 91 serves to facilitate the withdrawal of latch 95 to release gate 31 when it is desired to insert seals into the magazine.

Referring particularly to Fig. l0, the operation of the tool will be briefly reviewed.

Assume that a binder strap has been looped about a package, that the tool is resting upon the s package and that the overlapping ends of the binder loop have been applied laterally into .the gap between the feed wheel |8 and the underlying foot I9. The operator now rotates grip handle 2| to cause the eccentric shaft |5 to depress the feed wheel into contact with the upper of the overlapping strap portions. 'Ihe tool is now in condition to tension the binder.

Tensioning of the binder is effected by oscillating handle F through an arc which does not extend beyond the vertical. The oscillations of handle F similarly oscillate auxiliary frame C, because latches 32 are engaged and cause actuating pawl I6 to rotate the feed wheel step by step to move the upper binder end past the lower one and thereby tension the binder. During these operations the magazine and sealing mechanism also oscillate, but perform no function. When the desired tension in the binder is attained, handle F is swung in a clockwise direction past the vertical to carry the sealing jaws down to the place where a joint is to be made in the overlapping strap ends. And, since in the previous operation of the tool a seal has been fed from the magazine into position between the jaws. the swinging of th-e jaws to joint position also carries a seal to a position where it partly encircles the overlapping strap ends.

The formation of the seal or joint in the overlapping strap ends now takes place upon further movement of handle F in a clockwise direction. Such further movement, because the auxiliary 'frame C can move no further, results in the disconnection of latches 32, whereupon the handle F thereafter moves upon pivot 3| instead of about shaft I5. The movement of handle F about pivot 3| causes the link 30, crosshead 28 and links 21 to actuate the sealing jaws to deform the seal and strap ends into a joint, as previously described. During the sealing operation the magazine and seal ejecting mechanism is held out of the path of the jaws as heretofore explained.

'I'he joint being made, the operator returns handle F in a counter-clockwise direction to its V normal or starting position. It is during this return of the actuating handle that the seal for the next joint is fed from the magazine. Since the 7feeding of the seal for the joint just pro. duced-i. e., during the tensioning and sealing operations-the ejector is at the bottom of its stroke as shown in Fig. 1. It remains there until, in the return of the actuating handle F, the auxiliary frame C has been returned to its normal position and the magazine is again lying in a substantially horizontal position, as shown by the full lines of Fig. 10.

When this condition is reached the actuating handle is just about in a vertical position, but its further movement in a counter-clockwise direction causes the cam 11 to engage the pin 18 and, as movement continues, the under inclined surface a of the cam rides along pin 18 and the inner end of ejector arm 10 is depressed. As a consequence, the outer end carrying the ejector 58 is raised against the tension of spring 16. During this depression of the rear end of ejector arm 1U and the corresponding elevation of its forward end and ejector 5U, the magazine is prevented from moving forwardly because of the fact that pin 8| on the ejector arm (which arm is carried by the magazine) has been travelling down along the arcuate surface :l: of magazine control cam (which cam is fixed to the auxiliary frame as previously explained). An early stage in this movement is indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. l0.

As the operator continues to force actuating handleA F in a counter-clockwise direction-rotating it upon pivot 3|-the inclined surface a of cam 11 continues to depress the rear end of ejector arm 10 and elevate ejector 50 toward the top of magazine E, which continues to be held in its retracted position by the engagement of pin 8| along the arcuate surface m of cam 80.

This relationship persists until the handle F has been moved toward its normal horizontal position sufficiently to elevate the ejector so that its stripper lug 54 has attained a height slightly above the level of the top edges of the seals stored in the magazine-i. e., about the condition indicated by the dash lines of Fig. l0.

About the time the ejector has reached its uppermost position, pin 8| has moved along surface :c of cam 80 until it reaches the level of the lower horizontal surface y of cam 80 and the curved surface h, of the magazine advancing cam has reached lug 86 on the magazine arm B1. Now, since pin 8| is no longer retained by arcuate cam surface the magazine is freed from the latch effect produced by the engagement of Y pin 8| along the surface .r of cam 8D andfurther it, of course, magazine arm Si. the magazine E and the ejector arm and ejector. During the advance of the magazine the pin si on the ejector arm carried by the magazine moves forwardly along the surface y of cam ed, and thereby the ejector arm is held with its rear end depressed,

`continued contact of pin 2li along the y face of cam Si. When, however, the magazine has been moved outwardly far enough to line up the foremost seal slightly forward of the front surface of anvil 2d and to bring the foremost seal just in advance of the ejector stripper lug as indicated by the dot-dash lines of Fig. lil, the pin @t passes beyond the corner dened by the intersection of faces y and z of cam d@ whereupon, the rear end of ejector arm lil being freed, the tension stored in spring iE while the outer end of arm 'it was being raised becomes eifective to snap the ejector arm in a clockwise direction and thereby carry the ejector 5@ downwardly to the bottom of its stroke. IThis movement of the ejector forces the foremost seal from the magazine down to a position in front of anvil Eri and between the forward open ends of jaws 25.

During the seal ejecting movement of lever iii, the pin si thereon moves upwardly along the curved surface e of cam E@ with the result that the magazine is held in advanced position, against the pull of spring 63, which was tensioned while the magazine was being advanced, until the ejector arm has completed its seal ejecting stroke. Thereupon, pin di has passed beyond cam surface a and, cam surface h of cam 85 having also passed beyond lug 85 on the magazine arm, spring 63 pulls the magazine rearwardly to normal retracted position, the pin di traveling along the upper horizontal surface w of cam 8d during such magazine return. The tool is now restored to normal condition, with the latches 32 again coupling together, for movement in unison, the handle and auxiliary frame and with a seal between the retracted jaws of the sealing mechanism. It will be observed that the seal for the next joint was fed from the magazine during the normal handle movement required for the restoration to initial or normal position of the joint forming and binder tensioning instrumentalities. This characteristic is a matter of no little convenience, because the operator is not required to remember and to execute some special and extra movement to insure that the next seal has been fed.

Having thus illustrated and explained an embodiment and -the nature of my improvement, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

l. A package-binding tool of the type wherein a main frame for resting on a package to be bound carries binder strap tensioning mechanism and a pivoted auxiliary frame and the auxiliary frame carries sealing mechanism for joining overlapping ends of package-encircling binder strap and a handle for operating the tensioning and sealing mechanisms, characterized by the fact that the auxiliary frame carries a magazine for storing a plurality of individual joint-seals, a seal ejector mechanism is provided ,is controlled by the same handle which controls the tensioning and sealing mechanisms.

2. l package-binding tool of the type wherein a binder-loop tensioning mechanism and sealing mechanism for joining overlapping ends of the binder loop are actuated by a single common actuating handle and wherein there is a main frame and a movable auxiliary frame carrying said sealing mechanism, characterized by a magazine for holding a plurality of seals which are deformed by the sealing means to eect the joint between the overlapping ends of the binder loop, said magazine being mounted on said auxiliary frame, a seal ejector mechanism including a movable part in the magazine for separating and transferring seals from the magazine to the sealing mechanism preparatory to the sealing mechanism making a joint, a pivoted lever moved by the actuating handle in one direction and connected to said movable part, and a spring stressed by said movement of the lever and er'- fective to return said lever and thereby effect transfer of seals one by one from the magazine to the sealing mechanism during operation of the actuating handle.

3. A package-binding tool of the type having a main frame and a movable auxiliary frame and wherein a binder-loop tensioning mechanism and sealing mechanism for joining ends of a tensioned binder loop are operated by a single common actuating handle, characterized by a magazine for holding a plurality of seals useful in joining the binder ends, said magazine being mounted on said movable auxiliary frame, an ejector having a movable part in the magazine for separating and transferring seals one at a time from the magazine to the sealing mechanism, a spring for operating the movable part to thus transfer the seals, and operative connections between the handle and said part to shift said part to initial position preparatory to the transfer of a seal and-then to release said part so that the spring can move it to transfer a seal.

a. A package-binding tool of the type having a binder-loop tensioning mechanism, a sealing mechanism normally removed from sealing position but movable to a position to embrace overlapping ends of the binder loop and there operable to deform the overlapping binder ends to join them, and a single common handle for actuating the tensioning mechanism and for moving the sealing mechanism from normal to binder-embracing position and there operate it to produce a joint, characterized by a magazine mounted on and carried by the sealing mechanism and for holding a plurality of seals useful in joining the overlapping binder ends, a seal ejector including a movable part in the magazine for transferring seals one at a time from the magazine to a position to be acted upon by the sealing mechanism, and means actuated by the handle to effect operation of the ejector to transfer the seals, said last-named means including a spring for driving said movable part in one direction and means moved by the handle to a first position to shift said part and cock said spring and moved to a second position to permit operation of said part by said spring.

5. A package-binding tool of the type comprising a main frame for resting on a package to be bound, binder-tensioning mechanism carried by the main frame, an auxiliary framepivotally mounted on the main frame, sealing mechanism for producing a joint between the overlapping ends of a binder looped and tensioned about the package, said sealing mechanism being mounted upon the auxiliary frame and movable thereby to positions removed from and embracing the binder ends to be joined, and a single operating handle carried by the auxiliary frame and selectively operable to actuate the tensioning mechanism and to move the auxiliary frame to bring the sealing mechanism to binder-joining position and there actuate it to join the binder ends and thereafter to restore the auxiliary frame and sealing mechanism to the position removed from the binder ends and ready to produce another joint, characterized by a magazine mounted upon and movable with the auxiliary frame, said magazine being for the storage of a plurality of seals useful in the production of a joint between the binder ends, ejector mechanism including a movable part for transferring seals one at a time from the magazine to the sealing mechanism, and co-operating means carried by the handle and by the ejector mechanism for enabling the handle during its restoration of the auxiliary frame and sealing mechanism to effect the transfer of a seal from the magazine to the sealing mechanism.

6. A package-binding tool of the type comprising a main frame for resting on a package to be bound, binder-tensioning mechanism carried by the main frame, an auxiliary frame pivotally mounted on the main frame, sealing mechanism for producing a joint between the overlapping ends of a binder looped and tensioned about the package, said sealing mechanism being mounted upon the auxiliary frame and movable thereby to positions removed from and embracing the binder ends to be joined, and a single operating handle carried by the auxiliary frame and selectively operable to actuate the tensioning mechanism and to move the auxiliary frame to bring the sealing mechanism to binder-joining position and there actuate it to join the binder ends and thereafter to restore the auxiliary frame and sealing mechanism to the position removed from the binder ends and ready to produce another joint, characterized by a magazine mounted upon and movable with the auxiliary frame, said magazine being for the storage of a plurality of seals useful in the production of a joint between the binder ends, a movable ejector for transferring seals one at a time from the magazine to the sealing mechanism, a spring connected to said ejector and a cooperating supporting part for operating the ejector to transfer a seal from the magazine to the sealing mechanism, and means operatively associated with the handle and the ejector for moving the ejector to engage a seal in the magazine and also tension the spring preparatory to the transfer of a seal and nally to release the ejector to enable operation of the ejector by the spring to transfer a seal.

7. A package-binding tool of the type comprising a main frame for resting on a package to be bound, binder tensioning mechanism carried by the main frame, an auxiliary framepivetally mounted on the main frame, sealing mechanism for producing a joint between the overlapping ends of a binder looped and tensioned about the package, said sealing mechanism being mounted 4upon the auxiliary frame and movable thereby to positions removed from and embracing the binder ends to be joined, and a single operating handle carried by the auxiliary frame and selectively operable to actuate the tensioning mechanism and to move the auxiliary frame to bring the sealing mechanism -to binder-joining position and there actuate it to join the binder ends and thereafter to restore the auxiliary frame and sealing mechanism to the position removed from the binder ends and ready to produce another joint, characterized by a magazine mounted upon and movable with the auxiliary frame, said magazine being for the storage of a plurality of seals useful in the production of a joint between the binder ends, a movable ejector for transferring seals one at a time from the magazine to the sealing mechanism,aspring connected to said ejector and a cooperating supporting part for operating the ejector to transfer a seal from the magazine to the sealing mechanism, and a cam carried by the handle and operatively associated with the ejector for moving the ejector to engage a seal inthe magazine and also tension the spring preparatory to the transfer of a seal and finally to release the ejector to enable operation of the ejector by the spring to transfer a seal.

' JOHN H. LESLIE, II. 

